A bug with the Demon Hunter in WoW has been noticed. As a tank, it is far too strong because one of its values seems to be calculated completely incorrectly.
For months, there have been wild discussions in WoW: Shadowlands about which tank is the best and what is going wrong with tanking at the moment. Until now, Demon Hunters have actually been quite solid and were gladly included – but that could soon change. A large part of their tanking ability is likely based on a nasty bug.
Who claims this? The colleagues from wowhead seem to have uncovered this bug. In a comprehensive analysis, they demonstrate with several calculations why the damage reduction for the Demon Hunter tank is currently faulty.
What has been determined? Demon Hunter tanks currently take around 15% less magic damage than they actually should. While Demon Hunters naturally have a strong defense against magical attacks because “Demonic Protection” and “Viscous Ink” significantly reduce magic damage, it seems that “Demonic Protection” is being counted twice. Instead of absorbing 15% of magic damage, it’s around 30%.
How long has the bug existed? Since the beta of Shadowlands, if the data from wowhead is correct – which can currently be assumed. Some nerfs during the beta for the Demon Hunter were made because the data for the Demon Hunter was distorted by the undiscovered bug. The entire specialization is currently balanced “around the bug”.
What are the consequences of the bug? Basically, it must be noted that Demon Hunters can currently keep up with other tanks because this bug exists. If Blizzard simply fixes it, Demon Hunter tanks would be significantly weakened and would struggle to keep up with the other tanks.
Blizzard has several options for how the problem can be addressed:
- The bug is declared a feature, and the current incorrect values will henceforth be accepted as “correct”.
- The Demon Hunter will be corrected and will receive some improvements to mitigate the fix somewhat.
At the same time, the underperforming tanks could also be improved a bit. In particular, Warriors would currently appreciate some small buffs to make them more reliable in mythic dungeons.
How Blizzard will handle the bug and whether they plan any changes is still unclear. So enjoy your Demon Hunter tanks in their current strength as long as you still have them. Who knows when that will be over.
